Boku No Hero Academia: Inept Heroism
by xannybleuxradshelly
Summary: A world that rewards the strong and condemns the weak is far from perfect. Follow the tribulations of Ai & Azumi as their presence throws a wrench in the BNHA universe. Warning: MxM, FxF, MxF
1. Chapter 1: Ai & Azumi

_Author's Note:_

Xan: We're making a playlist that coincides with each chapter, song by song.

Song Recommendation: Sleeping In Waking by Rina Sawayama

 _ **Italics + Bold (Ai/Azumi's Thoughts)**_

 _ **Prologue**_

* * *

"The bystander effect is a call to inaction that has spread virally amongst the people of society. It's a silent pathogen. It targets altruism as opposed to bodily cells. The result is not death, rather the incapability to aid those in need simply because no one else has seen the necessity of doing so.

On the other end of the spectrum, the expectation that someone - say, a hero - will come and save those in need of saving works just as similarly. The potential for humanistic heroism has been depleted in favor of relying on the gifted, the powerful, the ones with Quirks.

Thus, no longer is it possible for your everyday man or woman to become a hero. Besides, why would you want to be one when a man can fly through the sky and save the day each time?

Except the day isn't always saved, and a hero isn't always going to defeat the evils that plague those considered insignificant." The lanky young man paused, and took a moment to brush a lock of blue hair from his furrowed brow. "We need people like you, Andromeda: People that were ostracized by society and left to rot."

Across from him sat a woman that once stood for justice and peace. After years of isolation, a quiet storm brewed behind her pale pink irises. Her once long silky black hair was cropped short and disheveled, her naturally tanned skin was now pallid and sickly in color, and worst of all the heart that cared for so many now held deep seated resentment and hatred for all those that took the title of "hero."

"Fine." The woman called Andromeda's voice was deep and laced with loathing. She had ambitions of her own that could not come to fruition from within a crazed asylum. "I will join you." Her words held a venomous bite that did not go unnoticed by her recruiter.

"Goo—" Before the scrawny man could finish his thought, Andromeda interjected.

"There will be a boy; a strong boy. Someone that would be troublesome if left unchecked." The woman's almost spat. "When the time comes, I will be the one to eliminate him. Are we clear?" The man's chapped lips spread into a knowing cheshire grin.

"Of course."

* * *

Meanwhile, Elsewhere..

* * *

The sun shone brightly that summer day, it's rays brightening every corner of the city it could reach.

However, a large shadow seemed to loom over a particular household. A sinister and unsettling atmosphere emitted from the area in waves that were incomparable to even the most compromising situation. Within the walls of this building, tendrils of darkness filled the space of the living room and wrapped loyally around the dark figure that had been summoned. His features were indiscernible, save for his piercing blood red eyes that starkly contrasted his murky surroundings.

"I've allowed this exchange solely because the girl's Quirk has caught our attention." This statement felt more like a warning with the caustic manner in which the words fell from his lips. "Do not think of this as pity nor favoritism. You are a coward of a man, and if it were not for your daughter's potential, I would cast this upon you tenfold."

The human male reeled back in terror as the silhouette suddenly leaned close towards him. A distinct scent of rotting flesh was made apparent within the close proximity and tears sprung into his wide eyes. Being condemned to such a fate, only to have his daughter willingly take it upon her shoulders had broken his spirit in a way that left him feeling void.

"Your business with my father is over. I'm the one you have to deal with, not him," the young girl interjected.

Her head was held high on strained shoulders. Had she not clenched her fists tightly, she would've been shaking; yet she knew there was no room for reluctance or fear and she'd be damned before she revealed she felt the slightest bit of either.

A wisp of black mist in the form of a hand reached towards her father's neck. It's long fingers gripped the chain of his cursed hourglass necklace and tugged down, freeing him from his debt. Almost as quickly as it'd been taken away, the same amulet materialized between the adolescent girl's collarbones, held in place by a thinner length of metal.

The amount of sand occupying the top space had been refilled upon this change of ownership, and the grains of sand steadily began to fall one by one - signifying that she was a second closer to falling into their hands.

"Use your time wisely. It is now a luxury you can only afford to lose." _Normal Italics (Other Characters thoughts)_

* * *

Chapter 1

Ai & Azumi

Ai's POV

Ai Suzuka, that's my name. I reach about 5'6 and a quarter, my favorite food is chocolate doughnuts and I enjoy long, uninterrupted, rendezvous with my favorite Neuroscience textbook; ironically titled, Neurons for the Average Jock. While I can't attest to being apart of the swole gains community I can enthusiastically express my love for the fundementals of neuronic science. Now, at this point you may be thinking "Oh wow, this guy is about as interesting as watching paint dry," and you're not wrong. However, today is the day that I embark on my journey to become what society sees as "Exemplary Example of Quirky Excellence." In other words a guy in spandex that spends his life enslaved to complete strangers. Totes ready for that lifestyle. All jokes aside, ever since my childhood, being raised by a pro hero, I've grown to respect the men and women that put their lives on the line every day for a living, and I want to be apart of that lifestyle. My quirk, Telekinesis, is a bit of a double edged sword at times. But with my extensive knowledge of physics and my favorite stressball in hand, I'm confident that I can overcome any obstacle that presents itsel—" The feeling of hard industrial brick scraping against my face was enough to knock me out of my mental ramblings.

"So this is it?" I looked up at the tall solid brick building ominously looming overhead. The sign atop said building read, ' ** _UA Dormitories_**.' Yet another complication to add to the ever-augmenting list of things triggering my anxiety. The unfamiliarity of having a roommate throughout my time at UA was something I saw as slightly riveting yet slightly terrifying. What if he doesn't like me, what if he's annoying, what if I accidentally crush him with my power during an especially vivid nightmare while he sleeps? You know, just the basic stuff.

I opened the door to the building that held my future and ascended the spiral staircase leading to the third floor as instructed by my acceptance letter. Unbeknownst to me, as I climbed higher and my nerves reached a peak, the foundation of the building itself began to tremble and a splitting migraine ensued. 'Floor Three, Room 305B' I continuously thought myself. I mentally chanted the room number like a mantra, in an effort to ease my strained mind. It seemed to help somewhat, until an obnoxiously loud voice bellowed through the halls of the third floor.

"Why the fuck is the building shaking?!" His voice was piercing, like the mating call of a hyperactive baboon.

As I turned a corner, "Ahhh!" I was knocked to the ground by the owner of said shrill voice. A throbbing pain invaded my already aching head. That accompanied by the sound of another crash was enough to completely disorient me.

"Kaa-chan! What did you do?!" A softer, less aggressive voiced questioned. The room was shaking and I could feel an oppressive force pulsing from my right hand. At that point, my eyes snapped open.

'Shit..' I thought to myself. A blonde kid, slightly taller than me, was crumpling up against a cracked wall. ' _ **I wasn't thinking..**_ ' A smaller boy with spiked green hair was crouched down next to him. That didn't last long however, because the next thing I knew my back was against the very same wall that baboon boy was crumpled in front moments prior.

"What the hell is wrong with you," The only thoughts registering in my head were ' _ **so loud..**_ ' but I knew that it was my fault. I wasn't paying attention, and I let my quirk go out of control.

"I'm sorry.." I managed to say without making eye contact. I hadn't even been here for 5 minutes and things were already falling apart. "It was an accident.."

"Kaa-chan! You're being mean!" I heard the smaller boy plea.

"Shut up, Deku!" The boisterous blonde shouted. I could feel blistering heat imbuing from his knuckles.

"Let go.." I managed to choke out. It was getting increasingly difficult to breathe.

'This bastard. I want to pummel him. I want to hit him. I want to…' Our faces were in such close proximity, I could hear his thoughts as they flowed into my head. "Let go.." I repeated. My voice was waning but I couldn't help it. The longer he held me, the more anxious I felt.

"Speak up, Teme." He taunted. "What was that?" His forehead was practically pressed against mine at this point, and I reached my limit. The stress of the day, the severity of my current situation, and the fact that this kid smells of burnt toothpaste all had a massive toll on the minuscule amount of tolerance I had left. A surge of electricity danced across my furrowed brow, followed by a pulsing sensation centered between my temples. ' _ **This isn't good..at this rate—!**_ '

"What do you think you're doing?" An all too familiar voice seemed to cleave right through the intense atmosphere. A tall, slightly ragged looking man dressed in all black save for the gray bandages loosely wrapped around his neck stepped out of the shadows.

"Otōsan.." My voice strained. I knew I was in for it.

Azumi's POV

The bottom of the hourglass around my neck was nearly halfway full by the time I settled into my dorm room. It was a habit I'd gained throughout the months of living with this to routinely check how much time I had left. Although there was a sizeable amount of sand remaining in the top half, the familiar feeling of dread lingered in the pit of my stomach as I was left to live with a taunting reminder of my own choices.

I clutched the hourglass pendant instinctively and felt the edges dig into my skin, a reassurance that I'd done the right thing. Father would've done the same for me. He would have risked his life to allow me the full extent of mine if the roles had been reversed. That thought was what comforted me most.

I'd resigned to lying face up on my new bed - too tired to further reconstruct my area of the room and too nervous to go out and explore. A part of me was glad my roommate hadn't arrived since it allowed me time to adjust without having to entertain, but I also wasn't a fan of the dead silence permeating through the air.

Bored and a bit curious, I focused my energy into my core, pushing it up into the invisible barrier that kept this world from merging with it's counterpart. The once bright room had dulled when I emerged on the other side, revealing a less tangible version of itself as I became more aware of my surroundings. I was still on my dorm bed, still in the same room, but nothing looked nor felt particularly real in this plane of existence.

From the corner of my eye I saw a translucent figure phase straight through the closed door. It wasn't easy to distinguish their particular gender due to their spectral and borderline misty appearance. Their aura, however, informed me that they meant no harm.

I internally sighed. It was no surprise that a place with such historical context would also be a beacon of lingering souls. The newcomer meandered through the room aimlessly, muttering incoherently underneath their breath.

"You."

It was in the midst of contemplating between whether or not to alert them of my presence that their airy voice startled me from my reverie. I raised a brow and sat up to look directly at them, "Me?"

"You feel odd. Very odd," they commented, edging ever closer to my immobile form.

"You don't feel all that regular, either…?" I retorted, although confusion pitched my voice so it sounded like an inquiry.

Normally, it would've been impossible for them to touch me, though I knew this wasn't the case anymore since I had trespassed their domain. I flinched back when the spirit reached out towards my chest. "A beating heart, yet you are so reminiscent of death."

I froze, unable to fully comprehend the words, but recognizing the meaning all too well. It was often that my peers commented on my connection to the deceased due to my Quirk. Constantly being called an anti-hero had beaten my dreams down to the point where I doubted I'd even be accepted into the Academy to begin with.

And somehow, I was where I never thought I'd be. My battle with insecurity, while tiring, had not left me empty handed.

An ache I had grown all too accustomed to warned me that I was close to overstaying my welcome and I wasted no time in anchoring myself back to my living body again. The sensation of weightlessness had given in to gravity when I fell back through the barrier between planes. I heaved for air, the pain similar to having held my breath underwater for longer than I could handle.

When the door flew open and a petite body traipsed inside giddily, the apprehension dissipated and I was left with remnants of an exchange only I knew happened.

"You must be Azumi!" the rosy-cheeked brunette said in greeting. I assumed she'd learned my name from the acceptance letter, the same way I learned of hers. "I'm sorry I wasn't here on time to meet you properly!"

I immediately shook my head, plastering a soft smile onto my pursed lips. "Don't worry about it. It's nice to meet you, Ochaco." My gaze lingered on her as she dropped her suitcase on the adjacent bed, hopping onto it herself not a moment later. "I hope it's okay that I chose this side of the room."

"This is perfect," Ochaco smiled. In the back of my mind, I wondered if she ever did stop looking so happy.

"I'm glad," I settled with because I couldn't possibly match up to her level of enthusiasm.

A sharp pang soon flooded my ribs and I grimaced. Fortunately, Ochaco had been too preoccupied with unpacking to take notice, but I knew that hiding this side effect wouldn't be an easy task. Not when it was already rather difficult to control in the first place.

This struggle to gather myself so early in my career at UA had hurled me into a harsh reality check. As excited as I was to be a hero, I also feared what becoming one may do to me.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_

Xan: If you like the story, please add a review! We love hearing feedback.

Ry: hi friends! we hope you enjoyed this chapter :^) constructive criticism is always welcome!


	2. Chapter 2: Ai's Anxiety

Author's Note:

Xan: We're making a playlist with songs that coincide with each chapter. If you're into reading with music, we recommend you check it out.

Song of the Chapter: Uncool by Kuizz

 **Bold Text: Dream Sequence**

 _Italics: Ai's Thoughts_

 ** _Bold Italics: Other character's thoughts_**

* * *

Chapter 2: Ai's Anxiety

Ai's POV

Have you ever felt a cast iron skillet being thrashed against your skull about one hundred times a minute? If you answered no, be grateful. If you answered yes, seek professional help. Either way, my head was killing me. We had just finished the eighth and final test of our prerequisite course when I almost lost consciousness. The backlash from my quirk requires a tremendous amount of mental strain. That paired with the ever growing anxiety filled acid pit burning a hole in my stomach was enough to make me keel over immediately. Otou-san's little twist at the end of the Quirk Apprehension Test wasn't fooling me either. After careful analysis of the of the other students, I didn't think anyone was unqualified to be apart of class 1-A nor did I think Otou—...Aizawa-Sensei would want to put forth the effort to out right expel someone on the spot. If it was up to me though, Baku-Hihi might have gotten the chop.

"Ai-kun?" A sweet looking, short old woman called out to me. I was so out of it, I had completely forgotten where I was. "You've been standing there for quite a while. Is that ice pack really enough for you?" Her brow was raised inquisitively.

"P-Probably. I can usually just sleep things like this off." I respond cautiously. Ever since I was young, I have constantly been scolded about being "too uptight" and "untrusting." So naturally, being questioned by a stranger, even a faculty member, had me on guard.

"Don't push yourself. Mental injuries are just as damaging as physical ones," Her tone was reprimanding, but her facial expression showed signs of legitimate concern.

"Y-Yes, Ma'am," I bowed slightly before leaving the nurses office.

As I made my way back to my dorm, I couldn't help but continuously analyze my performance during the prerequisite course at a hyper-critical level. Every single missed step, even the most minor of details warranted a harsh critique. In the real world of pro heroes, a mistake could mean someone's life.

"..Hm?" For the second time today, I was caught off guard by my careless inner debates. "..." I was now face to face with one of my classmates.

"To..doroki-kun?" _'For god sake please don't tell me that isn't his name?'_ He nodded, giving me the que to breathe again. "I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." He nodded his head knowingly.

"Here, its melting." I was perplexed for a moment as the silver-red haired boy reached forward and touched the bag of ice Recovery Girl gave me. _'Ah..'_ I thought to myself. It was a strange sensation, watching him use his quirk. For some reason I found myself avoiding eye contact with Todoroki; I didn't want to get sucked into his two toned eyes. However, I couldn't help but notice the the depth of said oasis blue/sandy brown eyes. They reminded me of my favorite beach, the one I would visit as a child. Eyes as deep as the ocean and as rich as the rustic beige shores.

"..Thanks." I murmured as he pulled his hand away. He simply nodded before stepping to the side and allowing me to continue on my way. Subconsciously, my free hand clutched my chest. _'That was..intense.'_ My heart was pounding for some reason..and then it happened. A slight spark of electricity danced along my brow bone and a familiar pulsing sensation invaded my train of thought. _**'Ai.. he did well during the Quirk Apprehension Test. He's..interesting.'**_ I released an elicit breath. Hearing people's thoughts wasn't something that was completely new to me. But the tone of his voice had a strange soothing quality that made me want to pry and listen to him more. That was alarming to me. Feeling a level of intrigue like that towards someone I had only shared fleeting glances with was nerve wracking.

Time Skip - Later That Night

I was a bit late getting back to my dorm and I still hadn't met my roommate yet. Apprehension began to cloud my mind. I was unable to befriend anyone during class, I already had a squabble with Bakugo Katsuki that resulted in my Father reproaching me and now I have to attempt to make friends with another stranger, fantastic. Izuku-kun seemed like a pleasant person, as did Iida-kun. But I still felt ever so slightly like an outcast already, something I desperately wanted to avoid. With that being said, as I approached room 305B, I heard nothing but silence. _'Empty..'_ I thought.

Another Time Skip - 30 Minutes

Somehow over the course of half an hour, I had fallen asleep. Strangely enough, I didn't have a dream. It was just a simplistic, blissful, dark slumber..that was abruptly interrupted.

"Someone's here! GET UP, OR I'LL BEAT YOU—" A loud voice boomed, startling me out of bead.

"!" Everything happened in a split second. His arms were suddenly stony thorns and my bed was levitating off of the ground. You know, relatable, everyday introductions. "I-I-I'm your roommate! Please!" My bed fell immediately. The concussion from earlier today was still very prevalent and still affecting my quirk.

"Roommate?" His boyish face went blank for a moment and we sat in silence. "Hi! I'm Eijiro Kirishima! Nice to meet ya!" I stared at him incredulously as he approached me with a wide grin plastered onto his face.

"A-Ai Suzuka.." His infectious smile and exuberant demeanor was like an atmospheric injection of caffeine. Most people would probably really like something like that, but for an introvert like myself it felt like a lot to handle.

"Nice to meet you." He seemed to be looking me up and down, as if he was trying trying to assess me. "You gonna stay down there?" He quipped. His hand was extended. I'm assuming regular social cues would dictate a gripping of the hand followed by a prompt "Thank you." But being the awkward string bean that I am, I just stood and nodded awkwardly.

"...Alright." Eijiro Kirishima from that point on, unbeknownst to me, saw my decline of his hand gesture as a declaration of war.

…..

 **My body trembled as a sinister chill crawled its way down my back at a painfully slow pace. It almost felt like a sadistic witch was clawing at my flesh with her daggered nails. I tried to breathe, and choked. The air was heavy with the faint scent of rotting flesh hanging in the air. The horrid smell seemed to permeate and thicken as each second dragged on. I wanted nothing more than to alleviate my smoldering lungs by taking a deep breath, but a nagging feeling in the back of my mind told me to keep holding my breath for a bit longer. The pitch black room began to blur, further disorienting my vision. My throat constricted, signaling that my body was at its limit, I couldn't hold it in any longer. With a sense of dread I allowed myself to take a deep breath..indescribable pain followed. It was like all the foul, stagnant air in the room was being drained into my body all at once. I couldn't stop and it just kept coming. My chest heaved and I fell to the floor as the rancid smoke continued to funnel down my throat. I felt my consciousness waning and my weeping eyes were beginning to roll back into my head..and it stopped. My eyes still stung with tears after the horrifying ordeal was finished and I began coughing uncontrollably. My entire being felt as if I was just plucked and dipped into a vat of boiling oil. I wanted nothing more than for this very real nightmare to end, and it did. But not before a tall dark figure made their presence known. The silhouette seemingly belonged to a woman. The figure, doused in shadow, dug their wretched claws into my scalp and made me face them. My eyes burned with tears as I looked her dead in the face. It felt like I had looked into the eyes of god. The room suddenly turned white, and I felt smaller. I could vaguely see the scenery change, but my steadied eyes focused solely on the face of the woman holding me in her arms. Her features felt familiar, put I couldn't tell for sure. I could feel my consciousness fading once again, however, this time I didn't fight it.**

 **"...Don't worry Ai. Daddy will be fine. We'll all be fine."**

…..

My eyes snapped open. I had heard of 'cold sweats' but never had I experienced a nightmare as mind numbingly petrifying as that. I flinched a bit. Sunlight beaming directly in from the window blinded me but warmed my cold body. As I climbed out of bed and walked up to the blinds to promptly shut them, I couldn't help but wonder why that dream felt so familiar. Chunks of the ordeal were missing from my head, but I had enough to piece together the end. An unidentified woman's voice saying, "Don't worry, Ai. Daddy will be fine. We'll all be fine."

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Author's Note: Xan: Let us know if you enjoyed! Also, in case you were wondering "Baku-hini" is equivalent to calling Bakugo a baboon. c: we love a baboon.


	3. Chapter 3: School Daze

**Authors Note:**

 **Ry:** hello everyone, i hope you enjoy this! this particular song reminds me of azumi and her story (which you won't totally understand until later on, but you'll see!)

 _Song Recommendation: Death & Taxes by Daniel Caesar_

* * *

Chapter 3: School Daze

Azumi's POV

Compared to the amount of physical activity and strain the class had been subjected to the day previous, everything felt —

"Which of English sentences is wrong?"

— incredibly normal.

I blankly stared at the letters written neatly on the chalkboard by Present Mic, our teacher for this class period. Undoubtedly, the rest of my peers harbored similar thoughts as me because the juxtaposition between Aizawa's tests and normal required classes was almost ridiculous. It was a relief that we were given a break from utilizing our Quirks, to be frank. Making so much contact with the afterlife in a single day had fatigued me in a way sleep couldn't remedy.

"Everybody, heads up!" Present Mic screeched in an attempt to stimulate us somehow. "Let's get this party started!" He raised a fist into the air with a triumphant grin, as if he'd actually achieved something.

My knowledge of the language wasn't terrible, so I could've answered the question if I wanted to. Judging by the literal two people who actually volunteered, I didn't think that was the best thing to do.

"Okay, Yaoyorozu, come on!"

The black haired female from yesterday was unsurprisingly confident as she correctly responded to the initial question. My gaze landed on her and I subconsciously scanned her, impressed by the evident drive to succeed she exuded. Even when faced with the medial task of P.E. exercises, she never faltered and it'd be impossible not to admire her a little bit.

Not to mention, Yaoyorozu had gotten into the school based on recommendation. I didn't know all the details; however, there was no doubt that she deserved it having looked at her from my perspective. Contemplation about my skill as it was in contrast to her unwavering motivation kept me occupied enough that the lesson had passed by in a flash, indicating the beginning of our lunch break.

The thought didn't occur to me until I was standing in line to buy my food made by the hero Lunch Rush himself, but I was struck with the question of who I was supposed to eat with. Aside from small introductions to a few members of 1-A and small talk with Ochaco, the amount of meaningful conversation I had with them was a solid zero. Even after I had a full tray in hand, the sight of a filled cafeteria made my fingers twitch nervously. I searched for my roommate, only to find her seated with the male I recognized to have engines for calves - Iida, I recalled - and Midoriya (who I silently referred to as Miracle Boy because of his performance the first day of classes).

Going through all my options, sitting with them would be easier than anyone else I was partially acquainted with. At the very least, Ochaco would be a saving grace if communication proved awkward, so I braced myself and approached them with that sole hope in mind.

"Azumi-chan!" the only voice I could recognize acknowledged me happily as I stood near the end of their table. "Sit here! We have a lot of space!"

I shot glances toward her male companions, one of whom regarded me with poise and the other who fumbled with his silverware upon sensing my appearance. "Is that okay?"

"Of course it is! Right, Deku-kun?" Ochaco smiled at the greenette seated adjacent to her. I raised my brows. What kind of nickname was that?

Midoriya, or I guess Deku, nodded vigorously in response, "It's to-totally okay!"

Then, our mutual friend turned back to me as if to say 'see?' and I offered a tiny bow of my head as thanks before occupying the chair beside Midoriya. His nervousness puzzled me, but based on his reactions to Ochaco, I deduced that he simply wasn't good with girls.

"Your name is Sato-san, correct?" Iida peered at me with a weird twinkle in his eye. The only viable reaction I had was to hum in agreement. Something told me he had an agenda in mind. "Are you by any chance related to Sato Emiko? Otherwise known as-"

"Animare?" Midoriya butted in, one hand reaching towards his backpack as if to pull something out. Their excitement towards the topic made me want to lie and say I wasn't, yet I couldn't find it in me to deprive them of this.

"That's my mom," I informed them with a half-hearted laugh. The only thing stopping me from shoving food into my mouth to avoid conversation was my desire to make some decent friends.

"Wow, really?!" Ochaco gasped, looking genuinely amazed by the fact.

"Fascinating! My brother has worked with her once, right before she retired." Iida's hands were gesturing wildly to add to his point. "Other than your surnames, the similarity in your Quirks gave it away."

Without warning, an open notebook was shoved in front of my face and I could just barely make out that the writing on that specific page was statistics. On my mother. "Uh, Midoriya-san. What is this?"

"I tend to take notes on heroes' Quirks that I find interesting," he answered truthfully. Almost as if realizing how truly embarrassing revealing this to me was, he pulled the book away from me and coughed. "Sorry...I didn't think I'd ever get close to meeting her, so meeting her daughter is more than I anticipated."

"Don't worry about it. It's a _little_ creepy, but I get what you mean." I patted his arm on instinct to comfort him, then jerked away since that might've been a tad too touchy. Maybe his fixation with heroes, namely my mom, was strange, but I appreciated the sentiment. It was good to know other people thought my mom was as much of a hero as I did. "Anyways, tell me more about your brother, Iida-san."

The sparkle reentered the boy's orbs tenfold as he launched into a monologue about his elder. Despite feeling like an outsider, the welcoming atmosphere of the trio eased some of my worries. Still, after the interrogation about my mom, I chose to stay relatively quiet throughout the time we spent together. While I was sure they didn't mind, Ochaco did look worried about me - even going so far as to direct some questions at me to get me to talk more.

By the end of the period, I had secured myself some more-than-acquaintances and felt proud that I'd overcome that hurdle. It just wasn't in my nature to be a social being. As sociable as I could come off to be, I valued solitude and silence quite a lot.

Returning to class and beginning our afternoon session signaled the beginning of Hero Basic Training. I was sure the day before was merely a formality to get a good handle of what we all could do, so I figured things wouldn't be so simple from that point forward.

While sitting in my assigned desk waiting for our instructor to arrive, I clutched the area near my heart. Mentally, I apologized to my chest and lungs for the pain they were inevitably going to endure as far as my Quirk was involved.

"I AM…" A sudden yell from the hallway reengaged me into the real world as the door slid open with a loud bang. "...coming through the door like a normal person!" In all his muscular glory, All Might busted through the doorway, cape billowing dramatically behind him.

My peers voiced some exclamations of wonder at the revelation of Japan's number one hero.

"It's All Might!" a boy who I thought was named Kaminari announced.

"Wow, he really _is_ a teacher," a spiky haired redhead followed in suit. A frog-like female sitting near him mentioned something about the hero's costume being from the Silver Age and I could only watch as the man sauntered to the front podium with pride in his step.

I wasn't one to admit to it, but I highly respected All Might as the symbol of peace. Having him stand right in front of me only reinforced the utter magnificence of the situation.

"I teach Basic Hero Training. It is a subject where you train in different ways to learn the basics of being a hero," All Might proclaimed, his large fists pressed to each hip. "You'll take the most units of this subject!" He then bent his body in a ridiculous pose that showed off his inhuman back and arm muscles before continuing, "Let's get right into it! This is what we'll do today…" with a grand turn, he held out a card in his hand that read 'Battle' in a bold red font, "...combat training!"

My nerves spiked at the mention of combat. Using my Quirk was one thing, using it on an actual person was a co mpletely separate idea. Both unsettled me to an extent, yet the latter was much worse in my opinion. How some people - namely the explosive ash blonde sitting near the front of the room - could be excited for this without a bit of unease baffled me.

"And to go with that are these!" All Might pointed towards the wall to his right, where panels began to slide out of the surface to reveal numbered suitcases. "Costumes based on your Quirk registrations and requests you sent in before school started."

Another elated cheer filled the air. Having sent in my costume ideas a few months prior, I couldn't remember the specifics of what I'd asked for; nonetheless, I was eager to see what the school produced. One by one, we received our respective suitcases with the instructions to meet in Ground Beta after changing.

It wasn't until I stood near the entrance of the tunnel leading into our meeting area, dressed in my new form fitting and comfortable attire, that I let myself feel even an ounce of confidence. Because for once, it felt like my goal was right within my reach.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Ry -** all might is so extra and i aspire to be half the person he is LMAO please leave a review with any suggestions or comments you have! 3


	4. Chapter 4: So Talented, Yet So Stupid

Author's Note:

 **Bold: Dream Sequence**

 _ **Bold Italics: Non-MC Thoughts**_

 _Italics: MC Thoughts_

Chapter 4: So Talented, Yet So Stupid

Song Recommendation: Yuri on Ice by Taro Umebayashi

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A lone figure observed as his group of students walked through the dark tunnel towards the brightness of Ground Beta.

"They say the clothes make the man, young men and ladies," All Might's white teeth gleamed under the sun. Although the teens looked rather unaccustomed to their new costumes, the air around them had shifted from their usual atmosphere. "Be fully aware. From now on, you are heroes!"

As the word 'heroes' passed through All Might's lips, the adolescent vigilantes in question all seemed to stiffen in response. The reality of their circumstances began to settle into each one of their young minds.

"This is great, everyone. You all look cool!" the blonde man complimented whilst assessing the chosen style for the individuals before him. "Now, shall we begin, you zygotes?"

"Hold on, I have a question!" someone halted the flow of class and All Might nodded to give permission. The one who'd interrupted turned on his heel and pointed at another one of his peers. "...Who are you?" Eijiro Kirishima appeared to be legitimately baffled. His eyes were on a boy near the back of the class. "This is supposed to be class 1-A! 1-B is that way!" He proclaimed loudly whilst redirecting his finger towards the exit.

The boy he was referring to had striking features. His tanned skin contrasted against the stark white of his costume, and his brightly colored pale pink irises held a strong sense of anxiety and incredulous shock.

"A-Ai..Suz.." A slightly irritated tick appeared above Ai Suzuka's brow as he stopped mid introduction. "I'm your roommate!" He exclaimed loudly, unable to contain his disdain for his new roommate.

"Huh? I've never seen him before."

"Who's that?"

"Is he in our class?"

"But...But my roommate has...glasses…?" Kirishima tilted his head, earning himself a groan that surprisingly didn't come from the receiving end of his confusion.

"Contrary to popular belief, glasses are a removable accessory," Azumi Sato retorted with a sarcastic smile on her face.

"Ooohhh! Can you see?!" Eijiro questioned, to which Ai responded by rubbing his temples with a black gloved hand in an attempt to quell his irritation.

"Yes, Eijiro-san. I can see." Ai muttered. His tone was surprisingly neutral.

All Might cleared his throat in hopes of ending the strange conversation taking place. "Now that we've settled this debate about Suzuka-shounen, it's time for combat training!"

"Sir!" the male donning metal armor that covered him from head to toe called out, therefore revealing himself to be Iida. "This is a battle center from the entrance exam, so will we be conducting urban battles again?"

"No, we're going to move ahead two steps!" the pro hero held up two of his fingers. "Most of the time, fighting villains takes place outside, but if you look at the total numbers, atrocious villains appear indoors at a higher rate.

Imprisonment, house arrest, backroom deals - In this society filled with heroes, truly intelligent villains hide in the shadows! For this class, you'll be split into villains and heroes to fight 2-on-2 indoor battles." The end of his monologue was followed up by an inquiry coming from Tsuyu.

"Without basic training?"

"This is a real battle to understand those basics! However, the key this time is that there's no robot you can just beat up."

"How will wins and losses be determined?" Yaoyorozu interjected without a beat. It seemed to be the question on everyone's mind. Or not.

"Can we beat them up anyway?" Bakugo growled.

Meanwhile, Uraraka seemed less aggressive and more attentive. "Will the punishment be expulsion like with Aizawa-sensei?"

"How shall we be split up?" Iida continued the seemingly never ending line of curiosities.

"Isn't this cape crazy?"

Aoyama's words seemed to be the final blow to break All Might's patience because not only was he bombarded with too much information too quickly, the flamboyant boy's addition was completely irrelevant.

"I'll answer all your questions!" All Might promised with a strangled tone. "Now listen here," he opened a tiny booklet to read off of, which didn't go unnoticed by the others. From it, he explained the mechanics behind the upcoming simulation. It involved a villain team whose goal was to guard their 'nuclear weapon' from the heroes who were meant to capture either their opponents or the bomb before time ran out.

"Time is limited, and we'll choose teams by drawing lots!" All Might announced in conclusion.

"Isn't there a more efficient way?" Tenya Iida questioned.

"Think about it. Pro heroes have to work with other heroes from other agencies all the time," The green haired boy explained.

"Ah, I see. The discernment to look ahead," Iida promptly bowed a full 90 degrees to their instructor. "Please excuse my rudeness!"

"Leave it to fate!" All Might proclaimed. Each student stepped forward and drew a yellow slot ticket. The teams were decided as follows:

Team A: Izuku Midoriya and Ochaco Uraraka

Team B: Shouto Todoroki and Mezo Shoji

Team C: Momo Yaoyorozu and Azumi Sato

Team D: Katsuki Bakugo and Tenya Iida

Team E: Yuga Aoyama and Mina Ashido

Team F: Koji Koda and Rikido Sato

Team G: Denki Kaminari and Kyoka Jiro

Team H: Fumikage Tokoyami and Tsuyu Asui

Team I: Ai Suzuka and Toru Hagakure

Team J: Eijiro Kirishima and Hanta Sero

Team K: Yuga Aoyama and Mina Ashido

Team L & M: Minoru Mineta and Mashirao Ojiro

"I declare the teams that will fight will be..!" All Might's dramatic pause lasted for mere seconds, but it seemed like hours. A few of the students shuddered in anticipation as he pulled to round balls, one black in representation of the villain team and one white to signify the hero team. "These two!" The air in the room grew heavy with tension. "Team A will be the heroes, and Team D will be the villains! Everyone else will head to the monitoring room to observe!"

Ai's POV

As soon as I slipped into my body tight hero's costume, I felt a surge of nervousness course it's way through my body. I was noticeably trembling and honestly, I felt pathetic. At this rate, I was worried about being able to even utilize my quirk. The mental strain I was already putting on myself before my match even started was enough to wrangle me into submission. My partner, Toru seemed to notice as well.

 _ **'What am I gonna do?'**_

 _ **'I need to prepare my strategy!'**_

 _ **'I'm gonna clober the other team!'**_

 _ **'Can I really do this..?'**_

' ** _Bakugo's gonna win for sure!'_**

 ** _'I'm rooting for you, Midoriya!'_** Everyone's thoughts were so loud. It was hard to process everything all at once and I couldn't feel myself falling into a panic.

"Hey! We're going to do great, don't worry." She said reassuringly. I appreciated her attempt to soothe my fragile nerves, but I was too far gone. I could hear the thoughts of everyone in the room flooding into my head. It was like a symphony of voices ranging from big to small, loud to soft, all at once bombarding my brain. Whenever my anxiety gets to me, the control I have over my quirk wanes as well. Self deprecation and negativity was already beginning to cloud my mind. I could feel myself on the verge of having a panic attack.

"Woah! He's like a martial arts master!"

"That was so cool!"

I glanced up at the monitor displaying Team A and Team D's match to see what my peers were referring to. Low and behold, Izuku-san without utilizing his quirk was able to completely subdue Bakugo. From what I had observed of Izuku-san, he didn't seem to be the most confident guy in the world, and I could see him shaking, much like me in my current state. However, he didn't let that deter him from succeeding. Somehow, seeing his drive to prove himself was enough to snap me out of my inner turmoil. _'1, 2, 3, breathe.'_ Aizawa-Sensei always told me to breathe when I felt nervous. ' _1, 2, 3, breathe..'_ I could feel my feet lifting off of the ground slightly. As I slowly began to calm, I regained control of my abilities.

"You can do this, Izuku-san.." I murmured under my breathe. My gaze was fixated on the screen. We watched Izuku struggle to hold his own against Bakugo without using his quirk and as the match went on, I found myself rooting for him. I wanted Izuku to succeed. Call it "rooting for the underdog" if you'd like, but there was an endearing quality the greeneete had that made me want to cheer him on. Whether it was his sincerity in battle or his charming awkwardness, regardless I wanted him to win. In those final moments before Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugo clashed, everyone in the class held their bated breath, awaiting the conclusion of the match. We were all shocked.

"The heroes win! Team A..is victorious!" My mouth was ajar in shock as All Might-Sensei announced the victory of Team A.

 ** _'For some reason, whenever I'm near All Might, it feels like someone is dying.'_**

I blinked a few times as that thought slipped into my train of consciousness. ' _What a strange thing to think about..'_ My eyes scanned the room briefly until my eyes locked with a girl. If I'm not mistaken, I believe her name was—

"Azumi." I almost jumped clean out of my costume. The girl was now standing right in front of me. "Ai-san, right?" After regaining my composure I nodded.

"Y-Yes. It's nice to meet you," I replied meekly.

"Your quirk. Can you read mi—"

"Team I, villains! Team B, heroes! Let's go!" I flinched in realization. It would be my luck that my team would be next to go.

"Sorry, Azumi-san," I bowed slightly before walking away from her, thankful for my All Might-Sensei's "Get Outta Jail Free" card.

"Good luck." The smile on her face was kind, yet strained. Maybe she was too perceptive.

"Are you ready?" Toru startled me. Her optimism and enthusiasm were both noteworthy traits that I was grateful for. The upbeat nature of her reassuring words were almost enough to console me..almost. As I began walking towards the exit, I felt a familiar pair of two toned eyes on me. I didn't even bother to look back. Rather, I didn't have the courage to look back. I could feel the intensity of his cool gaze freezing me to my core, and the match hadn't even started yet.

—Time Skip—

During our trek over to the site of our match, my thoughts were practically running a marathon. I had five different plans, each for a different tactic that Todoroki-san might execute. His quirk appeared to utilize ice. With that being said, the easiest course of action would be for him to freeze the building, leaving us unable to defend our weapon. "Toru-san.. can you try to capture Shoji-san? They'll know where our location is, so wait until I give you the signal," She nodded. Her faith in me, while it was unfounded, comforted me.

"Begin!" All Might-Sensei's voice, for the first time ever filled me with dread.

 _'Deep breath..1, 2, 3..'_ I chanted to myself internally once again. I closed my eyes, reveling in the silence of the room. The only notable sounds I could hear was the steady fluidity of my breath, and Toru-san's feet anxiously shifting against the cement floors. _'Where are they..'_ I began releasing small pulsations. The pulses acted as my guide as they made their rounds throughout the building until finally, they found something. **_'...just freeze them in.'_** Todoroki's thoughts panged in my head

"Toru-san, Todoroki is going to freeze the building." Toru gasped in confusion.

"W-What?" Her voice was slightly panicked.

"Stand next to me." My voice was a lot stronger than I expected it to be. If this was a real fight with a real villain, I couldn't afford to be nervous. I want to be strong, like Izuku-san.

"C-Cold.." Toru began to shiver. She was right, the temperature of the building was descending rapidly. The sound of stressed leather was prominent as my gloved fists tightened. I knew it would come any second now.

"A-Ah! You were right!" She exclaimed. In a split second, ice came racing forward. It spread throughout the entire room like a frost bitten plague that threatened to trap us within its frigid embrace. I could tell Toru wanted to run, but much to my surprise, she stood still in anticipation for my signal. She put her trust in me, a coward. That sort of resolve can't be rewarded with mediocrity. ' _Time to execute Plan A: Stall & Capture.'_ I thought to myself. With my own resolve strengthened, I inhaled deeply and launched a large scale neuronic pulse from the depths of my mind, decimating the ice and clearing a path for Toru. "Go now, please!" She wasted no time in heeding my advice. 'So cool!' Her thought triggered a flush of crimson across my cheeks.

I could hear Todoroki's thoughts. They grew louder as he approached my where abouts. **_'I should be able to secure the weapon with ease.'_** His confidence was unnerving. ' ** _If not, overwhelm them before time is up.'_** I could feel a bead of sweat forming above my brow. I wasn't sure head on combat with Todoroki was something I could handle. ' ** _They should be right around the corner.'_** I shuddered in anticipation. The sound of his shoes, crunching the ice beneath his heel left a metal-like foreboding taste in my mouth. **_'Here.'_** I looked up, and our eyes met. Silence hung in the air around us as our gazes lingered on one another. His stare was unwavering; it was daunting. My gaze on the other hand faltered. In that moment of hesitation, a wave of ice came hurtling towards me. Instinctively, I countered with a Minor Pulse. His movements were fact, almost too quick to follow, but I kept up as best as I could. Each burst of ice was subdued by an equally formidable surge of neuronic power. The waves of frozen tundra, morphed into chasms of cold crystalline water. Each attack, some proving to be inauspicious, others hitting their mark, shot jolts of adrenaline into my body. As he moved closer to me in an attempt to reach the weapon, my psyche pushed him back. I didn't even flinch as his back hit the wall adjacent to me, nor did he when a solid wall of ice slammed me to the ground. We were on equal footing, exchanging blow after blow.

"Caught him!" Toru's voice sounded in my ear, alerting me of her progress. That slight distraction caused a lapse in my concentration, leading to a loss in momentum. That was all it took for Todoroki to gain the upper hand. Before I could even think he was directly in front of me.

"...!" You know that phrase, "quick and painless?" This was quick and excruciatingly painful. With one swift kick to the knee I was off balance, followed by a hard punch directed at my abdomen. I could feel the air being knocked clean out of me. **_'Shit..'_** As I tumbled to the floor, I could see the exhaustion taking a toll on his movements. No, he would pace himself. In that moment I knew the cold must have been getting to him much like the mental strain of my quirk was getting to me. 'My head..' It was true, the mental pain was agonizing. 'Have to do it now.' But as I saw him make a run for the weapon, I knew I had to do something. Time was running out, and I couldn't just let Toru-san down. With all the willpower and stamina I had left I unleashed one last attack, knowing the consequences of my actions, but I didn't care. I threw caution to the wind and... ' _PUNCH!'_ The last thing I heard before blacking out was the sound of asphalt being crushed under tremendous force.

—

 **A heavy black smog hung thick in the air. It held the same rancid smell of rotting flesh as my previous dream. However, this time I had no trouble breathing and I could move freely. Without thinking, or even wanting to do so, I felt my body lurch forward. My destination was undetermined but I could hear voices in the distant. Both of the voices sounded eerily familiar, but I couldn't remember who they belonged to. Suddenly, the room shifted and I was surrounded by white. The smell of rotting flesh, dissipated; in its place, the pleasant scent of hibiscus and rosemary began to permeate. Soon the white began to melt off of the walls of my internalized prison. The fading color cascaded downwards, revealing a playful teddy bear patterned teal wallpaper. Soon, a cradle materialized as well and two individuals, one man and one woman stood before me. They didn't appear to notice me but I could certainly see them.**

 **"Our precious baby boy," The woman cooed. I couldn't only assume she was referring to whatever lied inside the cradle.**

 **"He has your eyes, Mitsuru," The name "Mitsuru," for some reason, triggered an inordinate sense of longing and an equally as unpleasant feeling of loathing.**

 **"Ah, but ….." I shook my head in confusion and agitation. I couldn't hear the man's name. "He must take after you," I blinked. A stuffed animal began floating out of the cradle.**

 **"Mitsuru, I'm sorry. What did we name our child?" A spike of seething rage and heat rose within my body. I didn't understand why these emotions were washing over me but I wanted it to stop.**

 **"His name is.."**

—

"Team I is victorious!" All Might announced.

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Author's Note:

Xan: Hey again! This was my first time dabbling in writing a fight scene and it was stressful to say the least! If you enjoyed, please leave a review. Let us know how you feel about the story thus far and follow/fav. We update pretty sporadically. Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5: As A Unit

**Author's Note:**

 _Song Recommendation:_ _No One's Here To Sleep by Bastille_

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Chapter 5: As a Unit

Azumi's POV

The results of this first matchup were equally expected and surprising, at least in my opinion. My interest was piqued most before the match had even started. Suzuka didn't seem to be the type to directly confront anybody, yet the way he was looking at me unwaveringly - like somehow he knew something - greatly contrasted that assumption. I was neither stupid nor blind, so I could easily tell he was stronger than his frail appearance made him out to be.

Of course, it did help that Hagakure's abilities were able to be properly utilized within the first few minutes of the simulation. Even with the slippery terrain of a makeshift tundra being created within the building, she easily slipped passed Todoroki and towards Shoji. Naturally, the latter was able to hear her steps as soon as she'd gotten close enough, but no matter how physically adept you are, hitting someone you can't see is a feat in and of itself. That being said, Hagakure was able to detain Shoji; obviously not without a struggle, though with a fervor that further exemplified her strengths.

What really secured the victory, however, had to be Suzuka's reckless move at the very last stretch of seconds. His Quirk remained a mystery to me even now, but that stunt he pulled with that fist-like force had caught everyone off guard. The sheer power of it sent a tremble through the construction of the building and the floor nearly gave in, which would've taken the two occupants and the nuclear weapon with it had Todoroki not acted quickly enough.

The bi-haired male's ice spread at a slower rate than was probably typical due to his fatigue, yet it seemed to do the trick. The frozen layer he spread under himself and his surroundings was able to keep everything intact. In spite of it all, time was a force that waited for no one, so while his action kept him and his unconscious opponent safe, he was unable to touch the weapon before time ran out.

Everything about the test itself was overwhelmingly intricate. It forced the class to not only analyze the game plans of others, but also to construct one of our own within the grace period we had before our own matches.

No part of me doubted Yaoyorozu's proficiency, in fact I was sure she'd be more prepared than I would. Considering that I could've easily been paired with Mineta and spent the whole time evading his pervertedness, being paired with her was a godsend. A small part of me simply didn't want to disappoint her. So I wouldn't.

Suzuka had earlier been taken to Recovery Girl after the announcement of their win to check up on his vitals after his over-usage of his Quirk. Obviously I wanted answers from our earlier encounter and I intended to get them. For now, I believed knew what I needed to know about the strange boy.

"Up next! Team C, villains and Team G, heroes!" All Might's booming yell prompted me to search out Yaoyorozu. Upon meeting her determined gaze, I nodded and waited by the door before exiting the room with her into Ground Beta.

"Anything useful to note about Kaminari and Jiro-san?" she began quietly as we headed towards our assigned building. The pair we were going to face walked not too far behind us, so our conversation was restricted to a whisper.

"Strong possibilities of long range attacks," I theorized. "My biggest concern is dealing with the electricity."

Yaoyorozu hummed, "If you can buy me some time, I think I can create something to help."

"I'll do what I can."

We entered the brick structure and found the room the nuclear weapon was contained in. Jiro and Kaminari remained outside and, from the vantage point through a window, I could just barely make out their figures.

The air was thick with anticipation that not even All Might's call to begin could cut through.

"You have the tape, right?" Yaoyorozu questioned as she rubbed the skin on her abdomen to warm herself.

I gave her the affirmative prior to glancing out the window. The pair of silhouettes had disappeared. My grip around the roll of tape tightened resolutely.

"It might be easiest to meet them halfway to create some distance between them and this thing," I jutted my head towards the paper mache creation behind us.

My partner seemed reluctant, and I didn't blame her. It was a gamble to stray so far from what we were meant to protect, yet I refused to limit us to such a small area. That meant restricting ourselves to a room already shrunken due to the size of the nuke in the face of two more than capable adversaries.

"Are you positive about this?" she asserted. With time running out and the others getting closer by the second, I frantically nodded. That was all she needed to lead us out the door and into the hallway.

With rushed, yet calculated steps, we each claimed a wall and stuck to them as we scanned the corridors. There was no doubt Jiro was using her ear jacks to listen in through the sound waves of the building. By now, she'd probably know where we were located.

As the two of us turned a corner further along the way, we were met with the sight of Kaminari and Jiro positioned at the other end of the stretch.

"Oh?" Kaminari raised a brow as his body crackled with electricity. Reacting as swiftly as I could manage, I grabbed Yaoyorozu's arm and pulled her back behind the corner we were about to round. Not a millisecond later, a wave of sparks crashed into the wall we had previously stood in front of.

"Plan?" I breathed out, hearing two pairs of footsteps growing nearer.

"I hope you're ready to do what you can. This might take a second." Her back began to glow a plethora of hues as she began forming a new item.

I wore the roll of tape around my arm like a bracelet before tearing off my gloves and focusing my energy into my hands. Jiro advanced first out of the two, one of her ear jacks flying towards us at a high speed. I manage to swat it away with one hand, then sprinted towards her with the intent of closing off any openings I had being so far away. Kaminari, who was close behind, caught me by the waist before I could touch her and shoved me back into the wall. I threw a fist at him, which he caught, only to hastily drop it as he recoiled in pain.

"What the hell?" he cursed, observing the slightly deteriorated skin on his palm. The sight was enough to make Jiro pause in surprise and I clenched my fingers together, the flesh covering both appendages now rotted. It was a more gruesome addition to my Quirk that I wasn't a huge fan of and would have relied on less often if only it weren't so useful.

I took this opportunity to hook a foot around Jiro's knee and tug down to unbalance her center of gravity. She stumbled forward a bit to accommodate to her shift in weight and Kaminari attempted to take hold of me like he did before. I evaded Kaminari's charge by throwing myself forward into Jiro, grabbing her arm as I did so and using the momentum to swing her back into the direction she came from initially. As a result, the other girl fell onto her back - the skin of her arm in a similar state as the male's palm.

By this time, Yaoyorozu (who I was relieved to note they'd forgotten about until that second) had finished making whatever it was she wanted and issued a firm kick to Kaminari's hip to get him away from her. In her arms was a large white sheet that looked to be made of a thick material.

"K-Kaminari! What are you doing?" Jiro called out to her teammate. The blonde's body crackled as he pressed himself to the wall. It was like he was preparing himself for something and I really didn't think I wanted to know what it was.

"Sato-san! Get under the sheet!" Yaoyorozu called out. She hefted the material over her shoulders, leaving just enough space for me to slide in. Without second thought, I ran to her, but Kaminari had released an initial ripple of electricity that caught my foot just before I found refuge.

My limbs trembled with pain as jolts seized my body. Thankfully, the sheet was somehow able to shield us from the remainder of the attack and I recollected myself in those short moments.

"Can you continue?" the ravenette beside me pressed her end of the fabric to the ground.

"I kind of…" I paused to cringe when another sharp pain hit me and she regarded me with an expression I couldn't decipher, "...have to. What is this thing, anyways?"

"An insulator sheet," she answered. If I had the time to, I would've applauded her resourcefulness.

"YOU IDIOT!" Jiro's raised voice and incoherent muttering that sounded like Kaminari elicited movement from us.

We snuck out the other end of our cover with the intent of getting out of range while they were distracted. To my chagrin, it wasn't easy to trick Jiro considering her heightened sense of hearing, and she easily caught up to us.

"Keep going! I'll handle this!" Yaoyorozu had materialized a staff from her arm faster than I'd ever seen her make anything and swung it back towards our pursuer.

My feet pounded on the concrete and I caught the tape roll as it slid down my arm precariously. It was foolish on my part not to restrain Kaminari as a precaution, but something about how much force he'd put into that last ambush told me he'd be out of commission. Coincidentally, a literal aftershock hit me and I couldn't muster the spirit to hold back a quiet groan. The room we once occupied couldn't have been that far, yet it felt like I'd traveled miles when the paper mache nuke was in my sights.

Without warning, something thin wrapped around my ankle and a sharp pull of it had me falling over onto my chest. I used my arms to brace myself in order to avoid smashing my chin on the floor. Pain reverberated through my bones nonetheless.

"Sorry, Sato-chan," Jiro's ear jack unwrapped from my limb and retracted back to her body. Her arm appeared gory from what I'd done, only now there were added spots of red around it that I deduced would inevitably bruise. Pride swelled knowing my counterpart had done some damage, but still. Had she really beaten Yaoyorozu that easily?

I grunted as she sped past me, but launched back onto my feet. Into the main room we went and I managed to tackle her before she could get close to the weapon. Our tumble to the ground was a blur of hits and misses, leading to her landing atop me - restraining me with her knees on my thighs and ear jacks around my wrists. In spite of my scrambling, her confinement did not falter.

Yaoyorozu flew through the doorway and was unnoticed by Jiro, but not by me. She looked more exhausted than anything and when she saw my predicament, immediately sprung to help. I stopped her with an infinitesimal shake of my head. She froze and silently got closer, remaining inactive. A burn accompanied my focus of energy into my palms while the rotting spread from my hands to my wrists, right under where I was detained. Jiro's Quirk unraveled within seconds and I braced the sides of my forearms to her collar bones, allowing me to push her up into Yaoyorozu's awaiting hold.

My partner was shocked at the amount of defiance our opponent displayed upon getting captured, though did not put up any less of a fight in return. I went to pick up the fallen roll of tape with haste and returned to the scuffling pair with a long piece torn off. Understanding what was going to happen, Jiro hesitantly resigned and allowed me to wrap the tape around her hands.

"Both heroes are incapacitated! Villain team wins!"

The declaration echoed through the testing area and I heaved out a sigh. Yaoyorozu freed Jiro, whose smile contrasted the damage inflicted upon her body. The guilt of hurting both her and Kaminari settled in my veins because, had I touched them any longer than I did with my Rot, their flesh would've been scarred. Although she accepted the apologies I repeatedly offered her, I desperately wished my power could do more than cause pain.

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 **Author's Note:**

 **Ry -** i . HATE. fighting scenes but i hope you all understood what i was trying to do fjdskljsda; ok byebye you all know what to do if you like the story so far!


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